ARCHIVED: Involving All Our Members Special Committee

The largest percentage of AALL members who regularly come to meetings, serve on committees and run for office are from law school libraries. Some frequently mentioned reasons that other law librarians do not participate are lack of support by employers, a sense that programs do not meet the needs of these members, and a perception that academic law librarians run things and therefore others need not try. Even among academic law librarians, some particular occupational groups may be less likely to participate than others.

CHARGE: AALL's strategic directions vision states that AALL is "the national professional organization for all law librarians and those who support the field of law librarianship." To help insure the reality of that vision, the Special Committee will:

Explore what barriers may exist to full participation by under-represented segments of the membership, and how AALL might help members overcome them

Develop and publicize materials on the value of participation that librarians might provide to their employers

Investigate methods used in comparable organizations to encourage member participation and compensate for financial or time restraints

Consider and recommend whether there is a need for grants, scholarships, or honoraria targeted to specific groups, and if so, how they might be funded and administered

Explore and recommend ways for members who do not attend the annual meeting to actively participate in committees, special interest sections, and other activities

Review the extent to which members find that annual meeting or continuing educational programing does not adequately meet their needs, and suggest ways this situation could be improved

Develop other strategies to encourage participation by all segments of the membership in annual meeting attendance, committees, special interest sections, and running for office

The Special Committee will prepare a preliminary report for the Spring, 2008 Executive Board meeting and a final report with recommendations for Board approval for the Summer, 2008 Executive Board meeting.

SIZE: The Committee will consist of two Co-Chairs and 6 members who will serve a one-year term starting in July 2007. A non-voting Executive Board liaison will be appointed.